1. Field
This relates to an air conditioner.
2. Background
Air conditioners maintain indoor air at predetermined states according to desired purposes and preferences. For example, air conditioners may be used to keep indoor air cool in summer and warm in winter. In addition, air conditioners may adjust the humidity of indoor air to provide a pleasant and clean environment.
Indoor air may be cooled or heated by an air conditioner depending on how the air conditioner is operated in a refrigeration cycle. That is, the direction of a refrigerant flowing in refrigeration cycle may be varied based on whether cooling operation or a heating operation is selected.
A refrigeration cycle may include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger. In cooling mode, a refrigerant discharged from the compressor is condensed by the outdoor heat exchanger and is expanded (decompressed) by the expansion device. Then, the refrigerant is evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger and is guided back to the compressor.
In heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is condensed by the indoor heat exchanger and is expanded by the expansion device. Then, the refrigerant is evaporated in the outdoor heat exchanger and guided back to the compressor.